NCLS Survey

In 2011 each of the 3 churches in our parish completed the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) and now we have the results!

The 2011 NCLS is the largest survey of its type in the world.

The purpose of the survey is to enable churches to gain a clearer picture of themselves.
It is not just their demographics, but also includes:

their faith life

their commitment to the mission

their Christian living, and

their hopes for their church

The survey provides insights into the leadership qualities churches need to draw on, their own leadership strengths, as well as those of their leadership team.
It shows us the areas of church life that the congregation most values and the areas they would most like to see further developed.
This information assists the church as a whole to be better equipped to hold meaningful discussions and set goals to strive for based on reality rather than surmise.

As you will see, the survey certainly challenges the myth of a dying and irrelevant church; showing instead vibrancy of the mission of Jesus Christ as it continues through us and as out churches are changing over time.
The survey also enables comparisons with other participating churches in Australia.

The overriding purpose of all this is to empower churches to be more vital and effective.
The guiding vision of the National Church Life Survey is Jesus’ statement:

“I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly”

(John 10:10)

The survey can be a means of promoting the abundant life of Jesus Christ in our churches, especially in these times of change and uncertainty.

NCLS research over 20 years has highlighted 9 core church qualities:

Faith growth

Worship

Belonging

Vision

Leadership

Innovation

Service

Faith-sharing

Inclusion of those on the margins

These 9 qualities are grouped as internal, inspirational and outward, as shown in the key to the right.

As you will see from the charts below, our 3 churches have noticeably different strengths.
We can use this information to gain a clear oversight of the strengths and focus of each church and the parish as a whole.

Below is a snap-shot of the core data.
The full reports can be downloaded as pdf files using the links at the bottom of the page (each report is 34 pages).